Centreville, VA

Northern Virginia's Western Edge Mental Block

The suburbs of Northern Virginia are located, primarily, to the west of Washington, DC. The further west you go, the less expensive the homes...the slower the pace of life. You lose that urban feel of being near the city as you get outside the beltway and really nestle into suburbia.

As someone who has been a lifelong resident of Northern Virginia, I can tell you that most of us here in the western suburbs have a mental block when it comes to things further west than we are. I don't know what it is, but it did take me some time to get over it. For me, it was doctors. I felt that the truly best doctors just HAD to be closer in to the city than me. For some it's malls. The closer in, the better. So logic follows that real estate agents are the same right? Here's a reason you might look west before you look east.

Most people who live in the western suburbs started at a point east. What inevitably happens to residents in Northern Virginia is they find the cost of living in points west is better. They can get more bang for their buck. Take me for example. I was born and raised in Fairfax...where you see the smallest pink star on the map. When my husband and I were looking for a townhouse, it made sense to buy in Centreville, where you see the middle sized pink star. Finally, when we decided on a single family home, we moved out to the Bristow-Gainesville area where you see the largest pink star. That's where my physical business address is. However, having spent years in Fairfax and Centreville, I know them like the back of my hand. So I am more than competent to sell real estate there.

The purple star represents a seller that had been recommended me, by a friend, to list their home. Apparently, the western edge mental block of Northern Virginia was so severe they didn't even pick up the phone and call. Instead, they went with an agent who was even further in than the blue arrow. An agent that has sold more homes in Maryland than they have in Virginia, let alone Centreville. If they had just checked the homes I had listed and sold on my website before deciding that I was too far west to know anything about their market, perhaps their home would have sold by now. I sold three listings in their area last year, two of which were luxury homes, but they thought I was too far west. There is life beyond Centreville. And a big part of it CAME from Centreville. Something for Centreville home owners to keep in mind when it's time to sell.

HOMES FOR SALE in Pendleton Park, Centreville, VA- February 23, 2012

6327 Shirey Ln, Centreville VA 20121 $334,500

6348 Pendleton Pl, Centreville VA 20121 $315,125

6338 Shirey Ln, Centreville VA 20121 $295,000

These properties were listed as of February 23, 2012. No guarantees can be made that these properties are still actively for sale. Please ask your real estate professional for an updated status of these properties.

HOMES FOR SALE in Sequoia Farms, Centreville, VA- February 23, 2012

5406 Buggy Whip Dr, Centreville VA 20120 $650,000

14367 Round Lick Ln, Centreville VA 20120 $585,000

5555 Sequoia Farms Dr, Centreville VA 20120 $379,000

14363 Nandina Ct, Centreville VA 20120 $379,000

These properties were listed as of February 23, 2012. No guarantees can be made that these properties are still actively for sale. Please ask your real estate professional for an updated status of these properties.

HOMES FOR SALE in Center Ridge , Centreville, VA- February 23, 2012

6505 Insignia Ct, Centreville VA 20121 $294,880

14206 Eagle Button Ct, Centreville VA 20121 $289,000

These properties were listed as of February 23, 2012. No guarantees can be made that these properties are still actively for sale. Please ask your real estate professional for an updated status of these properties.

HOME FOR SALE in Country Club Manor , Centreville, VA- February 23, 2012

14706 Algretus Dr, Centreville VA 20120 $399,900

These properties were listed as of February 23, 2012. No guarantees can be made that these properties are still actively for sale. Please ask your real estate professional for an updated status of these properties.